AMX-004 Qubeley Mk-II
AMX-004 (AMX-005) Qubeley Mk. II After the successful performance of Haman Karn's AMX-004 Qubeley several variants were built during the First Neo Zeon War. The first of these was AMX-004-2 (AMX-005) [http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/zz/amx-004-2.htm Qubeley Mk-II] which featured a dark purple color scheme and a hilted beam saber. The second unit, AMX-004-3 [http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/zz/amx-004-3.htm Qubeley Mk-II], was largely identical except for the red-and-yellow paint scheme and the addition of one new system. Technology & Combat Characteristics In terms of technology and performance the two Qubeley Mk-II units were virtually identical to the original Qubeley. The only difference is that the Qubeley Mk-II's stored an additional two remote funnel weapons in the tail binder giving the mobile suit a total of twelve remote weapons. Of course since the Qubeley Mk-II mobile suits were designed for Newtype pilots they were outfitted with the same miniaturized psycommu system of the first Qubeley so that the pilots may control the remote weapons with their Newtype abilities. However the AMX-004-3 Qubeley would have a new version of the psycommu system installed that would allow its pilot, through the use of a psycowave amplifying headset, to remote-control the mobile suit from outside the cockpit. Armaments ;*Beam Launcher/Beam Saber :Stored in the Qubeley Mk-II's forearms is a set of duel purpose beam launcher/beam saber. When used as a beam launcher the weapons remain mounted in the forearms. When used as a beam saber the weapons are hand-carried. ;*Funnels :The Qubeley Mk-II's most dangerous weapons system are the 12 psycommu controlled remote funnel weapons stored in the mobile suit's tail binder. The remote funnel weapon was based off of the Elmeth's larger remote bit, its smaller size due to how it uses an energy capacitor system. Because the funnels don't have their own power generator they must recharge aboard the Qubeley after a certain amount of time. System Features ;*Psycommu system :During the One Year War, the researchers of the Flanagan Institute discover that Newtypes emit powerful thoughtwaves - similar to regular brainwaves, but not electrical in nature - which they call psycho-waves. The Flanagan Institute goes on to develop a mind-machine interface called the psycommu (psycho-communicator) system, which receives these thoughtwaves and translates them into computer commands. Using this interface a Newtype pilot can direct remote weapons, and operate huge mobile armors, by thought alone. The Principality forces based at the asteroid Axis succeed in miniaturizing the psycommu system, so that it can be installed in regular-sized mobile suits like the AMX-004 Qubeley. The Federation Forces, meanwhile, concentrate on developing artificially enhanced cyber-Newtypes to operate their psycommu weapons. Variants ;*AMX-004G Qubeley Mass Production Type History Both Qubeley Mk-II were developed in UC 0088 during the First Neo Zeon War and are based off combat data from the original Qubeley. The AMX-004-2 served primarily as a test unit for its pilot, a 10-year-old girl named Elpeo Ple, and was used to determine and measure the girl's Newtype abilities. Though the Mark II's weapons - and Ple's abilities - would be a serious menace to the pilots of the AEUG carrier Argama, the Mark II would finally be damaged and captured, with Ple defecting to the AEUG to join her adopted "surrogate brother," MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam pilot Judau Ashta. Later on in the war, Ple sacrificed herself and her Qubeley Mark II to protect Judau against the threat of her own "blood" - a powerful Newtype clone named Ple Two. The AMX-004-2 would be first encountered at the site of an abandoned colony where the crew of the Argama was testing the ship's new hyper mega particle cannon. Unknown to the crew the colony was being used an ambush point by the Endra squadron, a group of pilots who from the sunken ship Endra. The Gundam pilots were able to scare off the Neo-Zeon pilots but during the retreat a dummy asteroid opened up, revealing the Qubeley Mk-II. Elpeo Ple used her mobile suits funnel weapons to cover her comrades retreat while slightly damaging the Gundam Mk-II and Zeta Gundam. This evoked a response from Judau, whose own Newtype powers lashed out. This has the effect of stopping the Qubeley's funnel attack but it is unclear as to why. On the Argama Captain Bright Noa recognizes the mobile suit as Haman Karn's personal mobile suit and tries to destroy it, but Elpeo Ple manages to pilot the machine out of the beam's path and retreat. The AMX-004-2 is seen for a second time outside of Axis where it catches Judau's FXA-07GB Neo Core Fighter as the Argama pilot tries to escape from Axis. It is at this time that it is revealed to Judau that Elpeo Ple, who he met earlier inside Axis, is the pilot. The Qubeley Mk-II would make its third appearance a short while later at the Axis palace with a handcuffed Leina Ashta inside the cockpit as Epleo Ple's hostage. Epleo Ple is angry with Judau who she said was always worried about Leina and mean to Epleo, so she leads Judau/ZZ Gundam on a chase through Axis. Judau tries to reason with Elpeo but ultimately his words just make Epleo angry who uses her mobile suit's funnels while in a park where children are playing. She is stopped when Leina warns that if Epleo keeps doing these bad thing than Judau would hate her. Because of the situation Judau was forced to retreat from Axis, initially with the Qubeley Mk-II and the girls but they were taken back by Glemy Toto outside the asteroid. The AMX-004-3 was almost identical to the AMX-004-2 except for its paint scheme and the addition of the psycommu controller headset. The AMX-004-3 would be piloted by Elpeo Ple's clone Ple Two who would pilot the mobile suit against Judau Ashta/ZZ Gundam and Elpeo Ple/Qubeley Mk-II. Picture Gallery AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk. II.jpg|AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk-II Notes *Qubeley's name is derived from the Greek goddess "Cybele". Cybele embodies the fertile Earth, a goddess of caverns and mountains, walls and fortresses, nature, wild animals (especially lions and bees). Phrygian Cybele is often identified with the Hittite-Hurrian goddess Hebat, though this latter deity might have been the origin of only Anatolian Kubaba. The Greeks frequently conflated the two names, the Anatolian "Kubaba" and the Phrygian "Kybele", to refer to the Phrygian deity. External Links *Mahq - AMX-004-2 - Qubeley Mk. II *Mahq - AMX-004-3 - Qubeley Mk. II